as in homage
a show of respect or acknowledgement of the authority or importance of another
They made obeisance before the king and queen. She earned herself some political enemies when she failed to make the proper obeisance to those in power.
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Recent Examples of obeisance
After a decade of seemingly supine obeisance, there is no obvious reason why the military leadership would suddenly rouse itself to oppose Xi.
—
Jonathan A. Czin, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2025
Visitors who fail to perform the requisite display of obeisance have faced consequences, as in the Feb. 28 blowup with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
—Massimo Calabresi, Time, 24 July 2025
But Zuckerberg isn’t the only one paying abject obeisance to the president.
—Max Taves, Mercury News, 11 July 2025
In the first case, Obama was accused of showing obeisance to a foreign ruler and Islam.
—Brendan Cole
shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for obeisance
Jonathan A. Czin, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2025
Visitors who fail to perform the requisite display of obeisance have faced consequences, as in the Feb. 28 blowup with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
—Massimo Calabresi, Time, 24 July 2025
But Zuckerberg isn’t the only one paying abject obeisance to the president.
—Max Taves, Mercury News, 11 July 2025
In the first case, Obama was accused of showing obeisance to a foreign ruler and Islam.
—Brendan Cole
shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for obeisance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obeisance
Noun
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The red polka dots on a white background were meant to pay homage to Japan's flag.—
Giorgia Olivieri,
Vanity Fair,
12 June 2026
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But what sets the property apart is that it was built not as a modern mansion styled to resemble a colonial home, but as a personal West Coast homage to Mount Vernon, shaped by one woman’s long memory and a couple’s fascination with early American history.—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
12 June 2026
Noun
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That nod to Towns is with all due respect to Jalen Brunson, who has lived up to the Captain Clutch nickname in two straight games.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
9 June 2026
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Americans, the historian Louis Hartz argued, embraced a common liberal tradition, built around a respect for democracy, property, and individual liberty.—
Yoni Appelbaum,
The Atlantic,
8 June 2026
Noun
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Onlookers placed their hands on their hearts and thousands of first responders gave Kilduff a final salute.—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
1 June 2026
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Meanwhile, the standard annual pass for current members of the military and their dependents shows a photo of Trump from behind, his arm raised in salute.—
Alison Fox,
Travel + Leisure,
1 June 2026
Noun
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Rooms Each of the Douglas’s 16 rooms has its own distinct color palette, though all nod to the building’s historic roots in a refined, understated way.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 June 2026
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Wedges—both classic and sculptural—nod to the aughts without feeling overly familiar, while thong silhouettes take on a more elaborate, colorful form.—
Cortne Bonilla,
Vogue,
9 June 2026
Noun
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Deadline projected a $35 million opening Friday to Sunday frame, while Box Office Pro pegged a $40 million to $50 million bow.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
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Smiling Princess Charlotte wore a white bow in her hair, while Prince George and Louis waved at the crowds.—
Morgan Evans,
USA Today,
13 June 2026
Noun
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Chicagoans have a deep reverence for the thick, unique pizza style, and Cornell and Stevenson said visitors from the Windy City have claimed Zelda’s is the most authentic version of the pie in California.—
Sean Timberlake,
Sacbee.com,
12 June 2026
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Op-eds have painted the president’s reverence for traditional design as mere nostalgia that will lead, inevitably, to pastiche and derivative mimicry while stifling innovation.—
Oscar Holland,
CNN Money,
12 June 2026
Noun
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Attraction is a function of parentage and looks and submissiveness.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
6 May 2026
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But for Coles, his indoctrination to law enforcement has been a different level of submissiveness.—
Dan Pompei,
New York Times,
2 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Obeisance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obeisance. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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